Kevin Lueshing talks about abuse in bid to help others

By Peter Gilbert

Former IBO world welterweight champion Kevin Lueshing talks about his journey from a troubled childhood to boxing stardom

Former IBO world welterweight champion Kevin Lueshing talks about his journey from a troubled childhood to boxing stardom

Kevin Lueshing has told Sky Sports News HQ how he turned to boxing to escape his harrowing childhood.

The former British welterweight champion twice challenged for a world title in a 25-fight career during the 1990s while keeping secret a life of abuse.

Lueshing turned to boxing as a salvation from his torrid teenage years which were blighted by sexual abuse and punctuated by regular beatings from his father.

The 48-year-old campaigns for the NSPCC and has written his autobiography, The Belt Boy, to help others suffering in silence.

Kevin Lueshing challenged Felix Trinidad for the IBF belt in 1997 and floored the Puerto Rican before being stopped

"The book took me a hell of long time to do," said Lueshing. "It took me about 20 years to find the courage to talk about it, my childhood.

"It talks about relating to what happened to me as a child; sexual abuse and the abuse I suffered at the hands of my father.

"It's called The Belt Boy because my dad would tell me to go and get a belt to beat me, and I would go and pick that belt.

"I left school at 15, didn't have any education, so boxing was kind of a way for me to channel my aggression and I had a hell of a lot of aggression from the abuse I went through as a child.

Boxing was a way to channel my aggression and I had a hell of a lot of aggression from the abuse I went through as a child

Kevin Lueshing

"I couldn't talk to anyone, I felt very isolated in what was going with me as a child.

"So growing up and boxing was a great way to get rid of that aggression and concentrating on something that I was good at and boxing was a bit of talent that I had.

"Boxing saved my life in so many ways and with the NSPCC supporting me, that's all I want to do now is to try and promote boxing and the NSPCC.

"If anyone can read this book and take out of it what I'm trying to get over to people; don't stay silent about whatever happened to you as a child. It bottles up inside of you, try and talk to someone about it or seek help.

"If there are children and someone is getting abused, please step out and make that call to the NSPCC."